Nearly half of those who gave up before reaching their fitness resolution goal did so within six weeks or less.

“Studies show that people who resolve to change behaviors do much better than non-resolvers who have the same habits that need to be changed,” says University of Scranton psychologist John Norcross.

Making resolutions is the first step, but, experts say, you need a plan and a healthy dose of perseverance if you want to succeed.

“These habits and behaviors are very difficult to change, and when you don’t have a well-thought-out plan on how you are going to make sustainable changes that fit into your lifestyle, it leads to failure,” he says.

In other words, it’s not enough to simply say, “I want to lose weight and exercise more.” You need a detailed blueprint that addresses how you’ll reach these goals.

“Everyone has strengths and weaknesses,” says Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “If you want to succeed, you need to have a concrete plan that plays into your strengths and avoids distractions [from] your goals by your weaknesses.”

Rocco is the VP here at QuirkyByte, and he has been writing since he could hold a crayon. He is a huge fan of music, nature, the arts and anything unique, or creative. Physical fitness is also a passion for him. Currently Rocco resides in upstate New York.